Camping tent with improved ventilation

ABSTRACT

The tent ( 1 ) according to the invention comprises a frame supporting: 
         an inner wall ( 3 ) defining with a groundsheet ( 5 ) a room, the inner wall having in its upper part an air-permeable zone ( 7 ), and an outer wall ( 2 ) superposed on the inner wall ( 3 ) and defining with the latter a layer of air, the outer wall having at least one opening ( 9 ) facing the air-permeable zone ( 7 ) of the inner wall ( 3 ), characterized in that the lower border ( 13 ) of the outer wall ( 2 ) is provided with raising means for moving the lower border from a position in which the border is in contact with the surface to a position in which the lower border ( 13 ) is raised to a distance from this surface.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application claims the benefit of French Application number03.07980, filed Jul. 1, 2003, incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a camping tent and more particularly toan arrangement for controlling the circulation of air inside the tent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, a camping tent is composed of at least one wall oftextile material supported by a frame. The frame generally consists ofhoops over which the wall is stretched.

In the usual way, the tent may also include a part in which two walls,namely an inner wall and an outer wall are superposed.

In such a case, the inner wall together with a groundsheet defines aclosed space which forms a room. The inner wall consists at least inpart of an air-permeable textile material. This air-permeable part isgenerally situated in the upper part of the tent.

The outer wall is made of a completely impermeable material, as thefunction of this outer wall is to protect the occupants from theweather. The material employed is usually a fabric coated with PVC orpoly-urethane which is totally impermeable not only to water but also toair. As a consequence, the exchange of air between the interior andexterior of the tent is extremely limited.

The temperature can therefore rise to quite uncomfortable levels for theoccupants of the tent. A large amount of condensation also forms insidethe tent.

This condensation is due to the respiratory gas exchanges of peoplepresent inside the room. It is also due to the condensation of ambientwater vapor which is accentuated by the high temperature inside thetent.

The making of openings in the upper part of the outer wall has, it istrue, been considered in the case of both single- and double-walledtents. These openings, which in the case of a double-walled tent areopposite the air-permeable zone of the inner wall, are supposed toventilate the room.

In use, it must be observed that these openings do not work very welland the ventilation effect which they provide is insufficient for theoccupants of the tent.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve the ventilation ofa tent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a manner known per se, a tent comprises a frame that supports aweather-resistant outer wall containing at least one opening in itsupper part.

According to the invention, the outer wall comprises at least one sleeveperpendicular to the lower border of the outer wall, through which it ispossible to run a cord, which is attached at one end to the outer wall,and at the other end passes freely out of the sleeve, so that pullingthe free end of the cord raises the lower border of the outer wall.

Since the lower border of the outer wall can be raised it is possible tocreate a chimney effect inside the tent. A suction effect is set up inthe openings of the inner wall by which the interior of the tent isventilated.

In one possible embodiment, the tent also comprises an inner walldefining with a groundsheet a room, the inner wall comprising in itsupper part an air-permeable zone.

In accordance with one possibility, the cord is attached to the outerwall at the lower border thereof and passes out at the top end of thesleeve.

In accordance with another possibility, the cord is attached to theouter wall at the top end of the sleeve and passes out of it at thelower border of the outer wall.

In one simple embodiment, the sleeve and the cord are situated on theouter face of the outer wall.

In an embodiment that allows the lower border to be raised from insidethe tent, the sleeve and the cord are situated on the inner face of theouter wall and the inner wall has an opening facing the free end of thecord.

One advantageous feature is that the outer wall is provided with atleast one zone of elastic deformation.

To secure the cord in a position in which the sleeve is contracted, thecord is provided with a stop piece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be understood clearly, it is describedwith reference to the appended drawings showing by way of non-limitingexample an embodiment of a tent according to the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show in perspective a tent in the non-ventilation andventilation positions respectively;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show in section an embodiment of the means for raising thelower border of the outer wall of the tent;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of this raising means;

FIG. 7 shows in section the ventilation effect;

FIG. 8 shows another possible embodiment of the raising means; and

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which the tent has only a single outerwall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first of all to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that the tentcomprises a frame that supports an outer wall 2 and an inner wall 3,these two walls being superposed and defining a layer of air betweenthemselves.

The frame of the tent is not the subject of the invention and will notbe described in further detail. Usually, the tent is also provided witha door shown in dashes in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Note also that the tent is equipped with a groundsheet 5, which, withthe inner wall 3, defines a room in the tent.

Referring to FIG. 7, it can be seen that a large part of the inner wall3 is an air-permeable zone 7.

It will also be observed that the outer wall 2 has two openings 9, theseopenings 9 also being formed in the upper part of the outer wall 2 sothat the openings 9 face the air-permeable zone of the inner wall 3.

These openings 9 which are shown schematically can be opened or closedat will.

Notice too that the outer wall 2 is provided with two sleeves 12; thesetwo sleeves 12 are perpendicular to the lower border 13 of the outerwall 2 and each receive a cord 14.

In FIGS. 1 to 4 it can be seen that one end of the cord 14 ispermanently attached to the lower border 13 of the outer wall 2; theother end of the cord 14 passes out of the outer wall 2 at a distance ofabout 15 to 20 cm from the lower border 13. The cord 14 may, forexample, be provided with a stop piece 15 for securing the cord 14 whenthe sleeve 12 is contracted.

Returning to FIG. 1, it will also be seen that the outer wall 2 has, oneach side of the sleeves 12, an elastic deformable zone 16. This elasticzone 16 consists of an elastic tape that has been sewn to the outer wall2 in an extended state, so that gathers are created.

The operation of the tent is therefore as follows.

When an occupant of the tent wishes to obtain maximum aeration of thetent, he raises the lower border 13. To do this, he grasps the end ofeach of the cords 14 and pulls them. This raises the lower edge 13 ofthe outer wall 2. This is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. This raising isassisted by the elastic zones 16, which permit a local extension of theouter wall 2 and allow its lower border 13 to be raised.

FIG. 7 shows the ventilation effect obtained by raising the lower border13 of the outer wall 2.

As can be seen on the right-hand side of this figure, a chimney effectis set up and the air is set in motion throughout the tent.

It can be seen that FIGS. 3 and 4 present an embodiment in which thetent is provided with skirts 17 along the lower border of its outerwall.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another possible embodiment in which the cord 14passes out of its sleeve at the lower border 13.

Also to be observed in FIG. 8 is another possible embodiment in whichthe cord 14 is located on the inside face of the outer wall 2.

In this embodiment an opening 20 is made in the inner wall 3 of the tentthrough which the free end of the cord 14 can be passed. Thisarrangement therefore allows the lower border 13 of the outer wall 2 tobe raised from inside the room of the tent.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which the tent comprises a single outerwall 3. In this particular case, the chimney effect is set up betweenthe lower part of the tent which is raised and the upper part containingopenings 9.

The tent according to the invention therefore has the numerousadvantages described above because in particular it allows the aerationin its inner space to be controlled.

The invention is not of course limited to the embodiments describedabove by way of non-limiting examples but rather encompasses allembodiments thereof.

1. A tent, comprising: an outer wall comprising: a lower border; atleast one sleeve extending at least partly upward from the lower border;a cord extending through the sleeve, the cord having a first endanchored relative to the sleeve and a free end passing freely out of thesleeve, so that pulling the free end of the cord causes the sleeve tocontract and raises the lower border of the outer wall.
 2. The tent ofclaim 1, further comprising an inner wall defining with a groundsheet aroom, the inner wall comprising in its upper part an air-permeable zone.3. The tent of claim 1, wherein the cord is attached to the outer wallat the lower border and passes out at a top end of the sleeve.
 4. Thetent of claim 1, wherein the cord is attached to the outer wall at a topend of the sleeve and passes out of the sleeve at a lower border of theouter wall.
 5. The tent of claim 1, wherein the free end of the cord isaccessible from an outer face of the outer wall.
 6. The tent of claim 1,wherein the free end of the cord is accessible from an inner face of theouter wall.
 7. The tent of claim 6, further comprising an inner wall,the inner wall including an opening facing the free end of the cord. 8.The tent of claim 1, wherein the outer wall comprises at least one zoneof elastic deformation.
 9. The tent of claim 1, wherein the cord isprovided with a stop piece.
 10. A tent, comprising: an outer wallcomprising: a lower border; a cinching mechanism positioned on the outerwall and arranged and configured so that operating the cinchingmechanism raises the lower border of the outer wall.
 11. The tent ofclaim 10, further comprising an inner wall defining with a groundsheet aroom, the inner wall comprising in its upper part an air-permeable zone.12. The tent of claim 10, wherein the cinching mechanism is accessiblefrom an outer face of the outer wall.
 13. The tent of claim 10, whereinthe cinching mechanism is accessible from an inner face of the outerwall.
 14. The tent of claim 13, further comprising an inner wall, theinner wall including an opening facing the cinching mechanism.
 15. Thetent of claim 10, wherein the outer wall comprises at least one zone ofelastic deformation.